Be My Valentine
by Honeeym
Summary: In which Damon Salvatore challenges Caroline Forbes to spend Valentine's Day with him, and tries to convince her that he can be excruciatingly loving and romantic. 4-part One Shot.
1. Part One

**_Be My Valentine (Part 1/2)_**

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><p><em>Here's your chance to make it right<em>

_If you want romance_

_Baby I'll take you home tonight_

_I know exactly what you wanna hear_

_I'm gonna give it to you._

Jesse McCartney, Blow Your Mind

Saint Valentine's Day, the fourteenth day of the second month of the year. Back in the day, the everlasting memorial day of how women were wooed by grand gestures of gallantry, now a tsunami of cupids, hearts, roses, teddy bears and words of adoration meant to cover up men's usual despicable behavior. During twenty-four hours, all boyfriends and husbands magically turned into modern incarnations of Prince Charming before returning to their former state, which never strayed too far from the frog.

While most of her friends in school were swooning in advance over the gifts their significant other would probably just forget, Caroline found herself to be terribly annoyed with Valentine's Day being just around the corner. It was a given that her sentimental life fitting the description of chaos didn't help.

Sitting at the Grill with Elena and Bonnie in an attempt at having a normal life, Caroline felt that her friends, at least, understood. Elena's love life was even more of a mess than hers, what with the whole Salvatore love triangle going on. As for Bonnie, well, her break up from Jeremy was still fresh, and she couldn't be more disgusted with the lovey-dovey craze.

There was a slight shift in the air when Damon Salvatore came into view, clad in his usual black leather jacket, a smirk plastered over his face. Elena stopped talking for half a second before averting her gaze; things were still awkward between them after the "Ball incident". Bonnie ignored him, as she usually did, but Caroline politely nodded at him. For some reason, she felt for him. She wasn't the judgmental type, but if there was such a thing as right and wrong in the world, going from one brother to the other was certainly all sorts of _wrong_.

The conversation resumed when it was certitude that the blue-eyed vampire wouldn't come over and bother them. They were cursing every couple in the bar under their breaths and making bets on who would break up after Tuesday was a fiasco.

"Wow," Damon said worriedly as he joined them. "You guys are so bitter that I can see wrinkles forming on your foreheads."

"Hello to you, too, Damon," Caroline said, slightly amused at his reaction.

Elena excused herself and went to the bathroom. Damon pretended like he didn't see her and focused his attention on Bonnie.

"Don't you like Valentine's Day?" he asked, genuinely curious.

She shook her head and made a disgusted face. Caroline kicked his foot under the table, gently enough so that Bonnie wouldn't notice. His eyes shot up to her and he bit his lip when he realized that the Jeremy incident was very recent; the wound was probably still bleeding a little.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"What about you, Damon?" Bonnie said, eager to change the subject. "Do you like Valentine's Day?"

His face lit up and Bonnie's jaw dropped in incredulity.

"Valentine's Day is my favorite day of the year!" he said enthusiastically.

"Says the guy who's in love with his brother's girl," Caroline mumbled for herself.

She kinda forgot that Damon was a vampire.

That was then. The moment she should have kept her mouth shut, because those words were going to trigger a crazy situation. She felt it the moment he grabbed a chair from the nearest table and sat dangerously close to her. Elena came back in silence and threw a questioning glance at Bonnie, who shrugged.

Caroline caught Damon's eye for a second and was surprised to find no anger there. He was smiling pleasantly at her.

"My apologies, Vampire Barbie. I wasn't aware that "caught in a weird love triangle between two Hybrids" was a more acceptable relationship status," he quipped. "Who will you be celebrating with? The stupid jock who tried to kill you, or his Sire who's a threat to everything pure in this world?"

Elena gasped, wondering how the conversation had possibly led to this. Once again, Bonnie simply shrugged, visibly bored. The squabble between Damon and Caroline was old news, and they all knew it was safer to just stay out of it and wait for them to get tired, which usually happened fast enough.

"Neither," Caroline finally spat. "Not that it's any of your business, but I don't celebrate this sorry excuse for a holiday."

Damon raised an eyebrow at her. He had always pegged Caroline for a helpless romantic; her harsh tone surprised him.

"You have never celebrated Valentine's Day?" he asked. "Ever?"

"It's just another excuse for men to fool women into believing they're perfect while they're really not."

Elena and Bonnie approved, and Damon suddenly felt very lonely, trying to argue with three women about the legitimacy of the holiday that women – at least, most _normal_ women – loved the most. But he wasn't easily impressionable, so he decided to have some fun.

"Well, excuse me, but _I_ am perfect when I'm in a relationship."

While this was obviously addressed to Elena (who, once again, pretended not to hear), Caroline couldn't help but reply to this.

"Oh please," she snorted. "I've seen what kind of boyfriend you are, Damon. Your only area of expertise regarding Valentine's Day is Valentine's Day sex."

More often than not, Caroline Forbes found herself in awkward situations because she was virtually incapable of keeping her thoughts to herself.

"Ouch, you're offending me, Blondie," he said, bringing a hand to his heart. "I _cannot_ decently let you ruin my reputation like this."

Judging by the look on Damon's face, she assessed that this was going to be another of these situations. It was clear that some sort of twisted idea was burgeoning in his head. He grinned like a Cheshire cat and she gulped. She hated it when he smiled like that.

"I was a terrible boyfriend to you, I know that. Let me make it up to you. Tuesday."

Elena almost chocked on her lemonade, causing Caroline to bit back a chuckle. Truth be told, she quite enjoyed being the center of Damon's attention in presence of Elena, even though she did _not_ need any more attention from men in this town at the moment.

"I'm not following," she simply said, pretending to play dumb.

"Hold on a sec," he said.

He was gone and back before she had time to send a funny look to her friends. Her eyes widened when he quickly got down on one knee, holding a red rose in his left hand; his right hand was resting on her bare thigh. She involuntarily shivered at his touch; his hand was surprisingly warm.

Bonnie had to put her hand in front of her mouth to muffle her giggles, and Elena's eyebrows were meeting her hairline. Damon remained silent for a long minute, letting the moment build up. He had always had a talent for being dramatic. He took a deep breath and looked up to the blonde.

"Miss Caroline Forbes," he said in a deep, smooth voice. "Will you be my Valentine?"

The question mark was simply here for politeness; this was everything but an invitation – it was a challenge. She scrutinized him for a long while, expecting his mask of mock seriousness to shatter; in vain. His blue eyes were staring at her expectantly as a charming smile danced across his lips, and he held on to her thigh a little stronger. She heard Elena shift uncomfortably on her chair, and Bonnie huffing under her breath.

The pseudo-magic of the moment was broken and she rolled her eyes at herself for allowing him to take her aback.

"Seriously, Damon," she said, removing his hand from her thigh. "Be your _Valentine? _Just, how old are you exactly? Fourteen?"

Damon bravely took the offense and swiftly got to his feet, stubbornly avoiding looking at Elena. He folded his arms across his chest and paused, looking for the one argument that would make her reconsider. He had his mind set on this, for some reason. He was always up for a distraction, even more so when it involved a pretty woman. Caroline had caught his eye for a reason when he got back in town, and she had only grown more beautiful with time. A Valentine's _date_ with her sounded like too much fun to give up on it.

"You know, the Wolf Boys would be _so_ pissed," he said enticingly. "Can you imagine? In the midst of their stupid little feud, s_woop_, the vampire snatches the girl away on Valentine's Day. Would make a good movie."

She scowled at him, and Bonnie and Elena remained silent. So much for getting help from your besties when you're in a tough situation.

"Don't you have somewhere to be, Damon?" Caroline replied, trying her best not to admit that he was right; that would teach Tyler and Klaus a good lesson.

Damon decided to try another angle.

"You, Blondie, are a chicken," he declared mockingly. "Are you scared that I'll take your breath away and make you fall in love with me all over again?"

She looked up to him with such venom in her eyes that he couldn't help but take a step back, very much to her satisfaction. The fact that she once had feelings for him was beyond embarrassing, and it had become some sort of tacit agreement in the group to never mention it.

"I'm not that girl anymore, Damon," she said. "You would know. The old Caroline couldn't have kicked your ass the way I did when you bit my Dad."

A flash of anger passed across his face, once again, very much to her satisfaction. The power of words against Damon was something she had never really paid attention to, but this conversation was much more fun that she liked to admit.

"Touché, Blondie," he conceded. "But that's another matter entirely."

"I'm just making a point," she shrugged. "I'm not stupid enough to feel _anything_ but indifference and annoyance for you, ever again."

The confidence behind this statement made him snort.

"You sound so sure."

"I am."

Amusement spread over his face.

"Okay, then. I'll make you a bet," he offered. "Spend the night with me on Tuesday and I will convince you that I know all about romanticism. If I fail, you can ask me absolutely anything you want. No restrictions. _Anything_. But if I make you feel the _slightest _emotion that isn't negative, you will do whatever I say."

He made his offer knowing that she wouldn't be able to resist it. He knew enough about Caroline to be certain that, just like him, she never backed out of a challenge; indeed, the eventuality of turning him into an obedient slave was enough to make her eyes shine with mischief.

"What if I decide that you should pick a fight with Klaus?" she said defiantly. "Will you do it?"

_Gotcha, _he thought. He raised his palms in sign of surrender.

"A deal's a deal, Blondie. Your wish will be my command, for 24 hours."

"You'd risk your life?" she said in disbelief. "Cocky, much?"

"I believe you know the answer to that."

Caroline stopped contemplating her plate of vegetables and glanced at Elena and Bonnie, trying to guess whether her friends thought she should agree to this nonsense. Bonnie seemed quite amused by this whole predicament, while Elena was pretending to be absorbed by her phone. Very well, then.

"I'm in," she finally said. "I'll, erm, be your Valentine."

Damon's grin returned and he clapped his hands in delight, obviously parodying the gesture that characterized her moments of satisfaction. He rose from his chair and leaned over her.

"I will – blow – your – mind," he whispered in her ear. "Be ready for it."

He lingered there for two seconds more than necessary, then waved friendly to Elena and Bonnie. Caroline shook her head in disbelief as he walked away, visibly very pleased with himself.

And this was how Damon Salvatore convinced Caroline Forbes to be his Valentine.

**to be continued ... **

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><p><em>AN : Hello everyone ! I received so much Daroline love on "Those Three Words" that I wanted to write more about my OTP, and my friend GoTimberwolves involuntarily gave me the idea of a Valentine's Day One Shot. I promise you I am going to make this as epic as it gets ! Please leave reviews if you'd like to get Part 2, and I promise I'll try to publish it on Tuesday, as a proof of my love for you adorable readers ! _

_- M. - _


	2. Part Two

**_Be My Valentine (2/?)_**

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><p>On Tuesday morning, Caroline woke up to a tingling sensation and wrinkled her rose to the unusual (yet pleasant) smell. She groaned, wondering if she had forgotten to tie her hair in a ponytail before she fell asleep the night before, but the tingling returned and, without opening her eyes, she reached out, only to find a flower. Her eyes shot open. There was someone behind her.<p>

"Hello, beautiful," a voice whispered in her ear. "Sleep well?"

She jumped, bringing the sheet to her chin as a reflex. It was still dark outside, and a quick glance at her alarm clock informed her that it was ten to six in the morning; she had to get up in, like, five minutes, so it wasn't exactly about the precious minutes of sleep that she'd lost, but rather about the man who was comfortably lying next to her. She turned around, and her eyes widened when her vision adjusted to the darkness of the room.

"Damon?" she said incredulously. "What the Hell?"

"I made you pancakes," he announced, still using his inside voice.

Her stomach involuntarily growled at the mention of food. Who was the idiot who said that food was the best way to a _man_'s heart? Although Damon invading her private space wasn't exactly the best way to start a day, he had made _pancakes_. She promised to be civil if he brought them in her room, earning a triumphant smile from him. He was one step ahead, and before she had time to blink, a tray magically appeared on her knees as she sat up. A glass of orange juice, a cup of warm blood, a mug of steaming coffee and … pancakes with _tons _of honey. Wait, was this a dream? She hungrily stuffed an entire pancake into her mouth, causing him to laugh softly. A sigh of pleasure escaped her.

"Those are _delicious_," she said. "And kudos on the honey."

"I know my girl," he drawled. "And I know my girl hates maple syrup."

She rolled her eyes and refused to ask how he could possibly know this. He had probably asked her mother, or something. Or Elena, or whoever. She caught him glancing at her with a goofy smile and suddenly remembered what day it was, why he was calling her "his girl" and why he was so casually bringing her breakfast in bed. It was Tuesday, Valentine's Day. Sigh. She had almost forgotten about this nonsense.

"I don't have time for this right now," she mumbled as she gulped down the last drops of the blood he had brought. "I need to shower."

He smirked at her and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. She pushed him out of the bed, causing him to fall with a thud. He just laughed.

"I take it you don't want company."

"Get out, Damon," she ordered. "I agreed to spend the _evening _with you, and I have to get to school."

"I'll drive you," he offered politely. "Anything to make your day perfect, _darling_."

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said.

This was going to be a _long _day.

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><p>After the ill-will she made him deal with in the morning, and the exasperated text she sent him when she found the bouquets of red roses he had had delivered to her house, Damon truly believed that she would make it difficult for him when 7pm came around. He was expecting to find her curled up in bed, her hair still damp from the shower she always took after cheerleading practice, and he had at least a dozen arguments ready to lure her out. So it came as a real surprise when, at 7pm <em>sharp<em> (just when did Caroline Forbes get punctual?), as he was about to get out of his car, the door of her house flung open.

He was glad he had decided to dress up; she looked like she'd just walked out of a magazine.

His jaw dropped at her choice of clothing; it could have been innocent, but it was _not_. He faintly remembered a conversation they had, a lifetime ago, while he was browsing through that sorry excuse of a vampire book, _Twilight_. She was picking a dress for the Founders' Party, and he had threatened to let her go alone if she didn't pick the blue dress. A blue dress that oddly resembled the one she was wearing right now.

From the porch, Caroline smiled triumphantly; if he was going to bring her breakfast in bed and look, let's not be afraid of the word, _dashing_, well, she could go hard, too. Two could play that game. She, too, could put all the stops out. Refusing to let herself notice every little detail that made him absolutely irresistible in the sunset light, she rested her hands on her hips, offering herself to his appreciative stare, and failing to suppress a shiver of satisfaction when his eyes began to travel up her body.

The 10-inch stilettos were making her toned legs look even longer, and he found delight in looking up, inch by inch, until his eyes met the satin of her dress, just above her knees. The item sat on her body as if it had been made for her. It hugged her figure, following her curves and accentuating her hour-glass shape. He inhaled sharply, not caring that she'd probably hear. The cerulean blue was simply sumptuous against her creamy skin (not to mention it matched his eyes – did she do that on purpose?), and her golden hair was elegantly held up in a sophisticated bun, completely revealing her bare shoulders on which laid a pale lemon stole.

Caroline was gloating inside. What was at stake here was her sanity, and possibly, her safety. If she let Damon win this bet, she would have to submit to his will for twenty-four hours. That was twenty-three hours and fifty-eight minutes more than he needed to make her life a living Hell. The only way for her to walk away from this with her head held high was to be in control. Hence, the dress, and the forty-five minutes of hair and makeup.

She sped up towards his car and stopped an inch away from him, a smile brightening her face. She stubbornly refused to register the heavenly smell of his cologne and the intolerable blue-ness of his eyes.

"You're drooling," she remarked sarcastically.

He cleared his throat and snapped out of whatever trance he seemed to be into. He pulled his hand from behind his back and presented her a fresh-picked white rose. If anything, she seemed irritated. He had offered her enough flowers for a _lifetime_ or two.

"Forgive me," he apologized. "You look stunning. Breathtaking."

He purposefully spoke in a slow, velvet voice, and immediately assumed his usual posture of seduction, giving her a genuine smile.

"Seriously," she said. "Are you really going to be mushy all evening?"

"Take a guess," he said with a wink.

That sounded very much like a promise, and she rolled her eyes at him, finally accepting his rose. It meant playing by his rules, but there was a tiny part of her who wanted to enjoy this evening. After all, the deal was that he should make her _feel_ something for him; she could have a good time and still be convinced that he sucked at being genuinely sweet. It had barely been five minutes and he had given her a rose and a compliment; she didn't believe that he could get any more pleasant than that, so she really had nothing to worry about.

So she decided to cut him some slack. She let him open the passenger's door for her and elegantly got into his car without a word. He let her pick the music for the ride; they apparently were going out of town, to some fancy restaurant. She was grateful for that; running into Elena or Bonnie would have ruined the fun. He began to make small talk about her day at school, causing her to frown. The palpable interest she heard in his voice was unsettling, but she chatted away.

Just as she was telling him about the new rules and regulations at school regarding clothing, she realized something.

"We didn't set rules," she observed as they drove past the Mystic Falls sign. "We need rules. I don't trust you."

Damon quickly glanced at her with a smirk. She was right; they needed rules to assess precisely what could and could _not_ be done tonight, because if he only listened to himself, there would be _a lot more_ than dinner and champagne on the program. He internally cursed his masculine chromosomes for being unable to resist the sight of a beautiful girl.

"Okay. Rules," he said. "Let me see. I have only one demand: no talking about Elena or Stefan. Oh, wait, I have two. I don't like Grumpy Blondie. If we're going to do this, you have to play along."

She paused for a few seconds and nodded, saying it sounded fair.

"My demands are: no compulsion, no fresh feeding, no violence _at all. _If we're going to do this, you have to behave like a normal Valentine's date."

A moment passed, during which he eagerly waited to see if she'd implement a "no touching, no kissing, no sex" rule. When she said nothing and nudged him to get his approval, he smiled his most satisfied smile and nodded.

"Deal."

"Oh, and whenever one of us feels like the other is going too far, we can call a time-out."

"I want the night to be absolutely perfect for you," he said politely. "So, anything you please, _sweetheart."_

Caroline slapped his shoulder, and he had the decency to feign being hurt.

"Don't use that word," she commanded (_too Klaus-like_). "And erm, you know, you have to do whatever I say _after_ the evening is failure. You can get back to your obnoxious self for now. This submissive version of you is freaking me out."

"Fine," he said with a small laugh. "Anything you want, _Blondie_."

"That's more like it," she approved. "Now. What will it take for you to admit that you've lost?"

He said nothing for a while. She had accused him of only being good at sex; he wanted to prove to her that he mastered the art of complimenting a woman. He wanted her to admit that he could start a fire in her heart with just a glance, and that he was just as capable of making her feel loved and appreciated. He wanted her to accept that he _could_ be a perfect boyfriend, when he wanted to be.

That's exactly what he told her.

"When we get out of this car, we'll be a normal couple, having a nice Valentine's Day dinner," he explained. "If, by the end of the night, you haven't made you feel good, then you win. But don't even think about lying, because I will know."

"I doubt that," she snorted. "My poker face is excellent."

He stayed silent long enough to park the car in front of a place that looked very much like a castle. She wondered how far from Mystic Falls they were, since they had been driving for at least two hours, joyfully trespassing all the speed limits. But the where mattered little; the place looked magnificent. She had to stop herself from congratulating him on the choice of location; that would be giving him the advantage.

He turned off the radio and unfastened his seatbelt. He threw her a side glance and she felt his exasperation filling the car.

"Caroline," he moaned in protest. "I promise you'll have fun, but you _have_ to play along."

She bit the insides of her cheek to refrain a smile; he looked like an adorable spoilt child whose toy had just been broken. She simply shook her head and wondered what was wrong with her; she had, after all, just applied the adjective _adorable_ to _Damon Salvatore._ She cleared her throat.

"Relax, Casanova," she said. "From now on, I am your lovesick girlfriend, ready to be wooed."

The answer seemed to satisfy him.

"Game on, then?" he said holding out his hand to her.

The mischief in her eyes returned immediately as she offered her hand; she watched as he delicately brought it to his lips.

"Game on."

He got out of the car and rushed to open her door. She was the one who intertwined their fingers with a smile.

**to be continued ...**

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><p><em>AN : Ahem. I know I said it was going to be in two parts, but it seems that I am incapable of being concise. So there will be AT LEAST a third part. The randomness of this One Shot is what makes it so much fun to write. What do you think of Damon's breakfast in bed, and the way he reacted to Caroline in the evening? __Please continue to review, and maybe, suggest lines or things you want to be in the upcoming part ? Much love to y'all !_


	3. Part Three

**_Be My Valentine (3/4)_**

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><p>"<em>I will – blow – your – mind."<em>

Caroline remembered his pompous statement from a few days ago, and inwardly cursed him for keeping his promise. Even in her wildest dreams, she couldn't have imagined such a grand scenery for Valentine's Day – or for _any _other day. She didn't think even the _Château de Versailles_ could look better than this. He hadn't succumbed to the cliché of hearts and Cupids; this place was the definition of elegance and glamour. Everywhere she looked, she was overwhelmed with warm colors, flowers, ribbons. Every now and then, she threw a death glare at him when he wasn't looking, because she _was_ blown away.

"Earth to Caroline," Damon said. "Are you with me?"

"Sorry," she said. "It's just – this place, it's…wonderful."

He smiled; she was a whisper away from saying "perfect". He had to admit that ever since they had sat down, she had cooled down on the snarky commentary and tried to enjoy the moment. He had made a reservation here because they had a special Gourmet menu for Valentine's Day, and, since he was quite the cook, he shared his knowledge with her.

"Everything is delicious," she pursued. "Not to mention the music."

Indeed, there was a string quartet playing nearby, and Damon had made sure they got the closest table. Caroline was certain he had resorted to compulsion, and when he finally confessed, she was prone to forgive him. There was something magnificent about the harmony of these instruments and the way the music made her want to be careless for one night. She faintly wondered if it was some sort of siren's song that would hypnotize her.

"You have taste," she concluded.

He appreciated the compliment for what it was worth, and decided to return the favor.

"I am here with you, aren't I?" he asked rhetorically. "Pretty much says it all about my being a man of taste."

She'd caught him staring at her when he thought she wasn't looking, and the glint in his eyes was unsettling. She blushed, and he laughed softly. His compliments were slowly starting to work their magic on her, he could see it.

"Time out," she said in a giggle.

He had this way of telling her the sweetest things while looking her right in the eye that made her want to behave like a twelve-year-old. It was nothing she hadn't heard before; Caroline Forbes was used to men calling her pretty, beautiful, breathtaking even. It was quite ordinary for her to have a man's eye follow her when she left a room, but it was…different with Damon tonight.

He motioned for the waiter to pour some more wine in her empty glass, and the conversation resumed.

"I got you something," he said, surprising her. "Gifts are the best part of Valentine's Day."

"You did _what?_" she exclaimed as if it had been the stupidest idea in the world.

"Well, erm, I – wanted to give you something that, erm, would remind you of tonight."

Caroline paused, analyzing the timid, sincere, _heartbreaking_ inflexion that had colored his voice. He didn't meet her eye, and she frowned. Why would he want her to think about this night, ever again? This was nothing but a stupid bet between two people who were too stubborn to even consider they could be wrong. Or was it?

She couldn't help herself; she reached out over the table and grabbed his hand, her thumb drawing comforting circles on the back of it. He twitched at the unexpected contact, but didn't pull away. He looked up, relieved to see a small smile creeping over her face.

"We never talked about exchanging gifts," she said softly. "What did you get me?"

"Dance with me and I'll show you."

"Anything to make the night perfect for you, _darling_," she said, parodying the phrase he had overused.

And so, they danced, his hands positioned on the small of her back, her head resting on his shoulder. They swayed slowly to the music, in perfect silence, inhaling and exhaling in perfect synchronization. Not even her dance with Klaus had been so peaceful and intense. Her last interactions with Damon had been placed under the sign of violence, and she had almost forgotten just how much of a gentleman he could be. _Wasn't that the point he wanted to make? _By then, she was ready to accept her defeat, but she said nothing, because she was having a great time.

"You're happy I took you here," he whispered; it really was not a question.

She shrugged and looked at him; she was smiling.

"I'm not particularly unhappy," she answered. "Now, how about this gift?"

He laughed softly and led her back to the table, where an envelope was waiting for her. She rolled her eyes at the staging of it all, but she eagerly sat down and ripped the red envelope open. She had been expecting a heart-shaped red card, but found a roll of parchment. She looked up briefly and wondered why Damon looked so uncomfortable, but didn't comment on it. She lowered her eye back into the item she was holding in her hands.

_Dearest Caroline, _

_You could have been the Beauty of my Beast, and this alone is a valuable reason to present you with the most gorgeous gifts. My past behavior has been gruesome, and although I am not hoping to buy your forgiveness, I dare hope you will accept this as my most sincere apology._

_Happy Valentine's Day._

_Love, _

_Damon._

She realized tears had gathered in her eyes when one fell onto the rich piece of parchment and she blinked impatiently. Damon has stopped breathing, she could hear, and she focused to steady the beating of her heart. If anything, this was how he had won the bet, and won her forgiveness. She didn't think he was physically able of apologizing; truth be told, she didn't even think he remembered the things he had done to her.

"Time out," she breathed with difficulty.

Damon nodded and excused himself to go to the men's room, willing to give her some privacy and regain composure; he hadn't felt so troubled in a long while. He had wanted to give her something pure, something unique. An apology from him fitted this description; he had never apologized for the way he had treated her in her human days. Apologizing meant that he cared, and wasn't the point of Valentine's Day to let people know that you cared about them?

He returned after inhaling deeply and thinking – what the Hell. Somewhere along the way, this ridiculous bet had become an opportunity to do the right thing, and he was going to see it through. It was madness, truly, to put himself out there and show the slightest genuine emotion to someone while Elena had made it crystal clear that his love was "a problem". But this was entirely different. He wasn't _in love_ with Caroline; but if he dug really deep, he could admit that he did love her.

For some reason, he wasn't afraid to tell Caroline that he loved her; he had a feeling she would be able to embrace that love, receive and appreciate it for all it was worth. Caroline wouldn't reject him, so when he returned to the table, it was with a peaceful smile. She looked up to him with still glistening eyes, and a small so heartwarming that his only grew wider. _I knew it_, he thought. _I knew she wasn't like Elena._

He handed her a second envelope, silently. She put the parchment aside, refusing to utter a single word before she could trust her voice not to quiver. A few seconds later, she cleared her throat.

"You look nervous," she teased. "Afraid I won't like it?"

"I know you will," he countered, regaining composure. "I told you, I know my girl."

She smirked at his faux nonchalance; he _was_ nervous and she smiled with newly taken power. She, Caroline Forbes, had the capacity to make Damon Salvatore apologize, and she made him actually nervous. She gasped when she saw what it was. An entire _year_ of horse-riding. She couldn't afford to ride.

"How – I, don't … how did you _know_?" she choked, tears filling her eyes once again.

This was all too much, now. The apology, and now this?

"I have my ways," he simply said.

He didn't have time to explain that Bonnie had told Elena about the whole Klaus incident at the ball, who had told Elena, who he had forced the information out of. Caroline jumped from her chair and threw herself in his arms, shamelessly sitting on his lap, causing a few patrons to cheer. He closed his arms around her and enjoyed the feeling of her warm body against his, completely oblivious to the tension that was slowly building up and her breath tickled his neck.

"Thank you," she murmured over and over again. "Thank you, Damon."

"Okay, now," he said, willing to take a break from the overwhelming emotions. "I got it, you like the gift. No need to get all mushy 'bout it."

She playfully slapped his shoulder and went back to her seat, grabbing her purse in the process. She, too, had gotten him a little something, just in case. Nothing fancy, and certainly nothing as _amazing_ as horse-riding lessons, but something that definitely went with who Damon Salvatore was in her eyes. She'd managed to get him cigars, directly from Cuba. He smiled.

"I didn't get you a card, sorry."

"Where did you get _these_?" he said, smelling them appreciatively.

She shrugged.

"You are such a hypocrite, Caroline Forbes," he accused. "You _compelled _a defenseless human to get me cigars! How…_me_ of you."

He laughed at the offended, yet proud look on her face. And then, before he could realize what he was doing, he was rising from his chair and dropping a kiss on her lips. It was too fast for her to react to it, and when he pulled away, she, in turn, kissed him quickly, infusing tenderness as much as she could. When he pulled back, she was smiling.

"You know," he started casually. "I meant what I wrote. I am sorry for what I did to you. It was wrong, and, I – I was wrong."

"Thank you," she simply said; for, what else could she say? "For the gift, and the apology. For saving my life after the car accident, and every time after that."

He nodded shortly, and seemingly got lost in his thoughts, speaking out loud.

"If I had been able to care about you back then, we could have had it all. I would have let you break down my walls, and I would have embraced your light and your warmth. Maybe I would have become a better person. If I had known then…"

"If the man you're talking about is the man I've seen today, we could have had it all, yes," she said softly, bringing him back to Earth; she smiled. "I'm glad you gave me glimpse of that."

This time, he was the one to ask for a time-out. Knowing that she could have loved him, had he only decided to show her what was buried deep, was enough to nurse his broken heart, and he suddenly wanted to kiss her again.

"I think we should go," he said instead. "If you're ready."

She nodded, and as they walked out of the restaurant, Damon took off his suit jacket and put it on her shoulders, although neither of them could feel the cold air. She threw a side glance at him and walked a little closer to him, intertwining their fingers.

"It was a great night," she said softly. "I had a lot of fun, and you've been the best boyfriend I've ever had. The best I could have dreamed of, actually."

The pride on his face made her roll her eyes.

"So we had the flowers, the fancy dinner, the gift and confessions of love," he enumerated. "We had the dance, and the tears, and even some fancy cigars."

"And you won," she said with a smile. "Now I'd like to know what exactly you're going to demand of me."

He smiled devilishly at her, and her heart sank (and this time, it had nothing to do with his handsomeness).

"There's no rush, darling," he said softly. "I am not done with you just yet."

Caroline heaved a deep sigh to conceal her worry.

"What now?" she asked, although she didn't want to hear the answer.

"Now, I am going to blindfold you."

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><p><em>AN: Hello, everyone ! Thank you so much for all the reviews, I appreciate them, and they make me want to write more ! Oh, before I forget, Happy Valentine's Day to all of you; to celebrate, this is the third part of this One Shot. What did you think of their dance, Damon's gift, the confession he made, and the way he kissed Caroline and she kissed back? What do you think he has in store for the rest of the evening? Part 4 will be the final one, this is for sure. Review ;) xoxo - M. _


	4. Final Part

**_Be My Valentine (4/4)_**

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><p>Caroline giggled like a schoolgirl while Damon guided her outside of the car and into a building. She had tried to guess where he was taking her; she expected to be back at the boarding house, but they had been in the car for just half an hour.<p>

"We didn't have dessert," Damon said as he finally took the blindfold off her eyes.

The blonde gasped as she assessed her surroundings. They were in a hotel room – although the exact definition for that would be _Heaven_.

She inhaled deeply and her shoulders relaxed as the smell of incense hit her nose. She was guessing sandalwood and rose, but it mattered little; the scent triggered all sorts of funny chemical reactions from her body, and she faintly thought she should get over herself before she completely lost her mind.

She opened her eyes again, and noticed that all lights were off; the room was softly lit only by candles. _Lots of candles._ It evoked a feeling of intimacy that she wasn't sure she was ready to embrace just yet, so she decided to move on to something else. There were many things to take in.

Her eyes travelled around the room, meeting dark purple heavy curtains, more candles and, of course, petals of white and pink roses sprinkled around the bed. She didn't dare look at it, but after a few seconds, she did.

_Damn you, Damon Salvatore._

On the gigantic bed, she saw silk and satin. It looked cozy and comfortable, but mostly, painfully sexy. There were at least a dozen pillows of different colors and fabrics. It was very 1800s like, very boudoir-like. Against her better judgment, she imagined what it felt like to just lie back there, her skin brushing against these extra sweet fabrics.

All of her five senses were overwhelmed.

She slowly turned to Damon, who had a smug grin across his face. He placed his hand on the small of her back and led her to the bathroom. Then, she gasped again. _A freaking hot tub. _She looked at him with wide eyes. He just shrugged.

"Told you I'd blow your mind, Barbie," he quipped. "Ta-da!"

She huffed and shook her head.

"What exactly do you mean by 'dessert'?" she asked nervously.

The wicked smile he gave her made her light-headed and he took a step towards her, voluntarily invading her private space. He had to admit this game of cat and mouse was an awful turn-on, especially when she was so agitated by his physical proximity. He once again did "the eye thing" and distinctly heard her heart skip a bit. That girl was severely testing his self-control. The Hell with reason, he should just throw her on that bed and have his way with her.

"You know, what comes after the main course," he said with obvious innuendo. "What any man who's paid for lobster and caviar is entitled to expect."

"Time out," she said in a strangled voice.

"New rule," Damon countered. "You can't call more than two time-outs."

She wanted to protest but no argument came to her mind. She opened her mouth indignantly and closed it again, and Damon decided to be patient. The sparks flying between them would eventually bring her to loosen up. For the time being, he simply laughed, breaking the tension. He walked past her, opened the small fridge in the corner of the room and brought out a huge bowl.

"Dessert," he clarified.

She breathed a sigh of relief that was slightly tainted with embarrassment. In the bowl, chocolate-covered strawberries, another Valentine's Day classic. She looked up to Damon with a small smile.

"But if you have something else in mind, it's my pleasure to adjust," he said.

"Don't be ridiculous, who could say no to strawberries?" she blushed, snatching the bowl away from his hands.

Damon simply smirked and nodded to the Jacuzzi as a suggestion. She stopped right in her tracks.

"Oh, no," she said. "You didn't say anything about a hot tub, so I'm not…equipped."

That one was really too much for him to resist; he let out a long, appreciative whistle.

"Naughty girl with no underwear. I like."

"I _do_ have underwear," Caroline informed, angry that she was letting him drag her to dangerous territory. "I just – I'm not…going in there in my underwear, with _you_."

"Fine," he said with a careless shrug.

She frowned, but couldn't fight the relief that came over her. She had been feeling unexpected emotions tonight, and she certainly didn't want lust to be one of them. Being in this room alone was enough temptation, and she sure as Hell couldn't resist the sight of his damn near perfect body more than she could trust herself. It did surprise her that he would drop it so easily, but eh, he was in love with Elena, after all. He might have been what you'd crudely call a manwhore, but he wasn't two-timing.

She thought her eyes were going to fall off when he started unbuttoning his shirt, right there in front of her, with no sense of embarrassment whatsoever. If anything, he carried himself with a little more pride, knowing he'd have an impact on her.

"What are you doing?" she asked dumbly.

"Getting in the tub, of course," he said just as stupidly. "That usually requires taking off your clothes."

She nodded and turned her back on him to give him a privacy he obviously didn't care about. Her eyes roamed over the room, and it became crystal-clear to her that his intention was to seduce her. How had she not seen it earlier? Damon Salvatore wasn't the type to wine and dine a girl with no ulterior motive; of course, he wanted to get into her pants. She inwardly cursed herself for being such a stakeholder in her own fate.

"Okay, you can turn around, now," he called mockingly.

She did as she was told, only to find him standing in the tub. Completely bare. She choked on the strawberry she was gnawing on, causing him to laugh loudly. She breathed out, trying to even out the beating of her heart, and he finally sat. _Oh, if looks could kill._

"You know," he said, "just because you have suddenly forgotten that I already know _every inch_ of your body hasn't turned me into a prude, Blondie."

Caroline winced at being called a prude.

"Am not," she exclaimed. "You would know."

"Well, then, prove it," he teased.

_This is how it all started, Caroline, don't let him get to you_, she thought. In vain. She had already handed him the bowl and was unzipping her dress, wiggling until it fell to her feet, revealing a matching set of black lace underwear. She grimaced at him.

"Happy, now?"

"Like I said," Damon replied nonchalantly. "Nothin' I haven't seen before."

She took the offense without a word and threw his boxers at him; even though the bubbles were concealing his body from her eyes _for now_, she simply wasn't comfortable about his being completely naked. He huffed, but put them back on, and then, she got in the tub with him. They were silent for a while, eating those heavenly strawberries and throwing glances at each other every now and then. The tension was slowly subsiding, and a frown appeared on Damon's forehead.

"So, what's the deal with you and Klaus?" he asked with nonchalance.

_Klaus. _Caroline sighed; she really wasn't in the mood to discuss this.

"What's the deal with you and Elena?" she fired back.

Damon didn't let it get to him.

"You're not, like, sleeping with the enemy, are you?" he insisted.

Her mind went back to a certain sunny day when she had thrown the same inquisitive interrogation at Elena, almost verbatim. Caroline couldn't believe this was happening. Damon had her half naked in a tub, and, of all things, he was going to lecture her about the three words she barely said to Klaus. She should have implemented a rule to put the Hybrids on the "Do not discuss" list.

"Why, wanna be the only one to indulge in Original sex?" she snapped.

"Is that a yes, then?" he said, unmoved by her reference to his fling with Rebekah.

She sighed.

"There is no deal," she said. "The guy says he _fancies_ me."

Damon raised an eyebrow at the old-fashioned word, and they simultaneously laughed at the stupidity of it.

"I'm just saying, he's Klaus," Damon resumed quietly. "Be careful."

She just rolled her eyes at him, and got lost in her thoughts for a while. What was it that she had going on with Klaus? How come Damon had noticed? What was she going to do about it?

"Get over here," he said quietly, but with such authority that she could only comply.

She moved closer to him and he made her sit down in front of him, her back turned on him. They fell into silence as he endeavored to make the tension in her shoulder blades subside, and truth be told, he was quite good massages. His hands were working some kind of magic on her, and she closed her eyes.

"You've let too many bastards into your life already," he said softly, dangerously close to her ear.

She smiled.

"You mean, you?"

"Not only, but yeah, mostly me. I took advantage of you because I was stronger. Just because I could. The dude's stronger than all of us, so, be careful," he repeated.

"_You_ should be careful, Salvatore," she quipped. "I'm going to think you care about me."

"What sort of crazy idea is that?" he said with a smirk.

She just laughed and relaxed a little more.

"I'm good, uh?" he boasted as he felt her body go limp against his.

She let her head fall back onto his shoulder. He _was_ good.

"Shut up," she said in an appreciate tone. "And don't stop."

A few minutes passed before she decided that it was enough; she was getting way too comfortable in his arms, so she thanked him and moved back to her corner of the tub.

"How you feeling?" he asked, simply to get his ego stroked.

"Good," she conceded contentedly.

Damon smirked at her.

"I wanna feel good, too," he said suggestively.

She huffed in annoyance; there she thought they were going to have a moment, and he ruined it. That was it: Damon Salvatore was a ruiner. He couldn't handle discussing feelings, and he couldn't handle a physical proximity either. She swiftly got out of the Jacuzzi and wrapped herself in a bathrobe.

"You're an animal, Damon," she said through her teeth. "An _animal_."

"Hey, you _did _say that my only area of expertise regarding Valentine's Day was Valentine's Day sex," he reminded casually as she threw a towel at him.

He wrapped it around his waist.

"Yeah, and the point of tonight was to prove me wrong, which you did," she called from the bedroom. "Your 'expertise' has never been questioned, end of story."

"That's one way to look at it," he said, meeting her next to the bed. "The way I see it…"

He left his sentence unfinished, deciding that actions would be better than words in this case.

Before she could register, he lunged forward and stopped a millimeter in front of her; her eyes widened, but he kissed her. Hard at first, but then he turned the kiss into something sweet, yet passionate. She gasped as his fingers laced around her waist and clung to her hips, pulling her flush against him in a swift movement.

She tried to get away from him, but his strength was superior to hers, and she only caused them to fall over onto the dozens pillows on the bed. Damon ran his fingers up her sides, and got rid of the bathrobe she had wrapped herself into. He caressed her flat stomach, her upper arms; he ran his fingers through her hair, kissing her neck tenderly.

Only one word could describe the way she was feeling at the moment: fire. Flames licking every inch of her skin as his mouth left kisses all over her neck, her shoulders, her cheeks. Yes, flames, but a lurch of consciousness caused her to stop him as he was about to unclasp her bra.

"Time-out," she said with the last ounce of willpower she had left.

"Remember the new rule," he groaned. "Don't be a tease, Blondie."

She looked at him apologetically, trying to steady her breathing. He was right, she was being a tease. She had Tyler, and she kinda sorta had Klaus in her life. What was she doing, making out with him of all people? They had been down that road once in the past, and it had been a failure. But he wasn't that man anymore; she could see it, but mostly, she could feel it in the way he touched her. The Damon she used to know was incapable of being gentle simply for the sake of it. Which did _not_ matter. At all.

"This doesn't make sense, Damon."

"So?"

"You don't love – ," Caroline started, but he cut her off.

"_Right now_, it's our Valentine's Day, Caroline, and I love you," he breathed slowly, detaching every word. "Let me show you how much."

The way he was saying this … he was impossible to resist. And so, that's when he had her. Because, more than ever, she needed someone to make her feel loved and she needed that person to _not_ be werewolf who could lose control and kill her. As for Damon, she couldn't tell whether he was pretending or being honest, but his words echoed in her head. And losing herself in his eyes, equally filled with tenderness and lust, she couldn't think of anything she wanted more, but she struggled.

"Damon, you love Elena," she said weakly.

"You've broken the rules twice in a minute," he whispered, his voice vaguely threatening. "Don't try a third."

He kissed her again, and for a moment it was like the touch of her lips against his flooded his body with fire. The intensity of that fire, he could not fight against. It had been too long since he'd felt that way. Love with Katherine, just like love with Elena, had always burnt to death; the flames Caroline was fueling right now were soft and pleasant, enveloping him in relaxing warmth.

He poured everything to that kiss: the regrets of having had and lost her, the bitterness of having loved only women who didn't want him, the smiles she had given him tonight and the funny banter. He put every emotion she had ever inspired in him into that kiss, and he felt her lips respond to his eagerly. He pulled back, much to her dismay.

"I want you," he simply said.

The words were spoken quietly, but with such disarming sincerity that they hit her full force. He wanted her. And damn her if she could understand why, but she wanted him back. But she understood what he was doing; he was warning her that if she as much as looked at him again, there would be no way back. He wouldn't stop, and he wouldn't let _her_ stop either. The choice was hers.

What she was feeling now was some kind of love, she knew it. And love was a physical force; a disease. A madness and a war. A fire they had once shared.

She let the memory of that old flame lit her fire, and slowly removed the towel still holding at his waist. Her nails slowly grazed his abs, and he nearly melted with desire. She kissed him with a softness that was almost unbearable, causing him to ache with longing. He got hold of her wrists, refusing to take this any further unless it was certain they were on the same page. His eyes, darker as a side-effect of his burning need of her, questioned hers silently.

"I want you," she whispered.

And that was how she had him.

Corny as it may sound, he proved to her that he was not only good at sex, but good at making love. He remembered perfectly every curse of her body; the planes and the hollows, the sensitive parts and the ones he shouldn't even consider touching. Closing his eyes, he simply followed the lead of his memory, with no other purpose than making her feel what they could have had. In those heated moments of passion, they shared a connection. Something true that they didn't even know they needed.

But like all good things, it came to an end, and, after an eternity, Caroline seemed to come to her senses, and Damon immediately perceived the change of atmosphere. Her heart was beating frantically, and he grabbed her hand as she was about to leave the bed.

"I – I think we should go home," she just said.

"And I think you have to do exactly as I say for the next twenty-four hours," he countered lazily.

She'd almost forgotten about that.

"Fine," she groaned, folding her arms against her chest. "What do you want?"

"I just want you to stay," he informed. "You and me, outside of the world for a day. That's all I want. What do you say?"

She thought about it for a minute.

"The long list of our problems will still be there tomorrow," she admitted.

Damon let out a sigh of ease when she snuggled back into the bed.

"Hey," she called softly before going back to sleep.

"Hmm?"

"Happy Valentine's Day."

**Fin.**

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><p><em> AN : And that's a wrap ! I want to thank every one of you for reading this absolutely random (and looong) One Shot. I had a lot of fun with it, and I'll definitely consider any suggestion you might have for more of these. I hope you like the ending - for those of you who wanted sex : ta-da! The best I could do with a T rating ;) _

_Look out for my next publication. It will be, as I have named this double pairing : Darolaus i.e. Daroline and Klaroline. I've had an idea and I'm even considering something quite lengthy. Who'll read? xoxo - M._

_PS : UGH. The hiatus is back. Kill me already._


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